Ellipsomicroscopy for surface imaging: A novel tool to investigate surface dynamics

This article focuses on the technical issues of imaging of dynamic adsorbate pattern formation on platinum surfaces using laser light to illuminate the area of interest. In particular, ellipsomicroscopy for surface imaging (EMSI) is a powerful tool to follow spatio-temporal patterns of adsorbate layers on catalyst surfaces at arbitrary pressures. This novel method is uniquely sensitive to submonolayer coverages of adsorbates. It expands the range of observable pressure conditions by many orders of magnitude, thus bridging the pressure gap in imaging surface reactions. EMSI is a versatile technique that opens new avenues of potential applications to resolve dynamic surface processes, such as adsorbate diffusion or coating formation. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society.